GLEN Mazzara, showrunner for AMC’s The Walking Dead, has been singing the praises of new cast member David Morrissey.

The British actor has landed the prominent role of The Governor in season three and Mazzarra is excited about what he has brought to the role.

Saying that his take on the character, a graphic novel favourite, will be “very complex, nuanced” and “multi-layered”, Mazzarra added: “This will not be simply an arch villain who is committing an evil act in every scene, that’s too cartoonish for what we do here. We want that character to feel as real and human and fully developed as possible.”

Hence, “The Governor thinks he’s a messiah – he sees [the zombie outbreak] as an opportunity to get onto history’s stage”, he continued.

The Governor will come into the series once Andrew Lincoln’s Rick and his remaining band of survivors enter the villain’s prison after seeing it initially as “a sign of hope”.

When things start to become dangerous for them, however, Rick once again has to step up and become even more ruthless to protect those he holds dear.

““Rick has to whip that group in shape – there’s no safe place to hide,” adds Mazzarra, comically describing his command over the group a “Ricktatorship”.

Mazzara was speaking on AMC’s discussion show Talking Dead on Sunday (July 8).